# ceathrar
## Irish
### Etymology

From Old Irish cethrar (“four people”).

### Pronunciation

* (Munster) IPA: /ˈcahəɾˠəɾˠ/
* (Cois Fharraige) IPA: /cæːɾˠ/
* (Ulster) IPA: /ˈcahɾˠəɾˠ/

### Noun

ceathrar m (genitive singular ceathrair, nominative plural ceathrair) (triggers no mutation)
* four people
    Tá ceathrar páistí sa pháirc. ― There are four children in the park.

#### Usage notes

* Generally used with the genitive plural when referring to human beings; also sometimes used with other nouns, especially if the things they denote are being personified.

#### Declension

bare forms
case
singular
plural
nominative
ceathrar
ceathrair
vocative
a cheathrair
a cheathrara
genitive
ceathrair
ceathrar
dative
ceathrar
ceathrair
forms with the definite article
case
singular
plural
nominative
an ceathrar
na ceathrair
genitive
an cheathrair
na gceathrar
dative
leis an gceathrar don cheathrar
leis na ceathrair :

#### Derived terms

* col ceathrair

#### Related terms

* ceathair
* ceithre (non-personal)

### Mutation

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish. All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

### References

* ↑ Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “cethrar”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, retrieved 24 May 2024
* ↑ Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry [Phonetics of an Irish Dialect of Kerry] (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, § 249, page 125
* ↑ de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1975) The Irish of Cois Fhairrge, Co. Galway: A Phonetic Study, revised edition, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, § 609, page 112
* ↑ Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, page 71

### Further reading

* “ceathrar”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025
* de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “four”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, retrieved 24 May 2024
* Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “ceathrar”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN, retrieved 24 May 2024

## Scottish Gaelic
### Etymology

From Old Irish cethrar (“four people”).

### Pronunciation

* (Lewis) IPA: /ˈkʲʰæɾəð/, [ˈkʲʰæɾəð̥ʲ], [ˈkʲʰæɾ̥həð̥ʲ] (as if spelled ceathrair)
* (Harris, Barra) IPA: /ˈkʲʰæɾɪɾʲ/ (as if spelled ceathrair)
* (Uist) IPA: /ˈkʲʰæɾhɪɾʲ/ (as if spelled ceathrair)
* (Wester Ross) IPA: [ˈkʲʰɛɾ̥həɹ̝ʲ~ˈkʲʰɛɾ̥həj] (as if spelled ceathrair)

### Noun

ceathrar m (genitive singular ceathrair, plural ceathraran)
* four

#### Usage notes

* Only used about persons (cf numerical noun).
* Following noun is in the genitive:
    ceathrar bhalach ― four boys
* Alternatively, de and the dative are used:
    ceathrar de bhalaich ― four boys
* Prepositional pronouns used are those formed from de and aig
    an ceathrar dhiubh / aca ― the four of them
* Also used on its own:
    Bha ceathrar ann. ― There were four.

#### Related terms

* ceithir

### Mutation

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic. All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

### References

* ↑ Oftedal, M. (1956) A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. III: The Gaelic of Leurbost, Isle of Lewis, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap
* 1 2 3 Borgstrøm, Carl Hj. (1940) A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. I: The dialects of the Outer Hebrides, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap
* ↑ Borgstrøm, Carl Hj. (1937) The dialect of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap
* ↑ Roy Wentworth (2003) Gaelic Words and Phrases From Wester Ross / Faclan is Abairtean à Ros an Iar, Inverness: CLÀR, →ISBN

### Further reading

* Edward Dwelly (1911) “ceathrar”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎, 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
* Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “cethrar”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language